After Carriker setback, Baker moves to end

RICHMOND—The Redskins won’t have Adam Carriker to start training camp and his outlook for the start of the season is very cloudy.

On Thursday, doctors performed a third surgical procedure in an effort to repair Carriker’s left quad. He originally tore it during the second game of last season and he has been battling to get it fixed ever since. Mike Shanahan said that the most recent

His defensive teammates have been pulling for him to recover from the injury. “We're a family on the D-line, that's one of my brothers,” said end Stephen Bowen.

“He's really been an anchor for our defense,” said linebacker Ryan Kerrigan, who spent his rookie season with Carriker lined up at end in front of him. “It's tough to see him struggle with this injury. He was just everything you wanted in a 3-4 defensive end.”

But both Bowen and Chris Baker emphasized that it’s “next man up” when a player goes out injured. That next man may be Baker.

He was the backup nose tackle last year but he also has played some defensive end. In fact, in college that was his position. He played defensive end in Hampton’s 3-4 defensive scheme.

“I feel comfortable at both places,” he said. “It is an adjustment, you have to learn the ins and outs of the position but I can do it.”

In fact, he may get to be very comfortable at end. The coaches have told him that he will line up there exclusively and not take any snaps at nose tackle.

For the time being at least, that ends a battle between Baker and Chris Neild for the backup position behind nose tackle Barry Cofield.

Also at end are veteran Kedric Golston and Phillip Merling, a former second-round pick who hasn’t been able to catch on. They could keep as many as five ends on the 53-man roster.